Once a month, a fresh bouquet of flowers is delivered to the residents living in the Rockridge Senior Apartments – to help brighten their day. The flowers are sent courtesy of local community sorority Delta Chi. The group is a chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha, an international organization that promotes philanthropic activities.

According to Delta Chi’s treasurer, Leona Corn, the group annually raises money for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital as well as Easter Seals, but Delta Chi members are hoping to turn their attention to more local needs.

“There are enough big organizations out there that are getting tons of money,” Corn said. “But the little people need help too.”

Corn said that, in the past, the group has overseen projects such as the Angel Tree, which was installed at City Market around Christmas time to help local children. Local families in need could submit their names to the organization, and members of the community were given the chance to purchase gifts for those families. In the past couple of years, other individuals have stepped up to take over management of the Angel Tree, and Delta Chi is looking for new projects that will benefit the local community.

“This next year I want to focus on seeking out worthy causes within the community,” Corn said.

The group also raises money to help out people who may be struggling in Moab.

“We might do it for a little kid who needed a pair of shoes, a coat, or dental work,” Corn said.

Over the years, Delta Chi’s fundraising efforts have involved a wide variety of different events.

“We sold flowers for Valentine’s Day one year,” Corn said. “We’ve had Bunco nights, an event at Frankie D’s, a spaghetti dinner.”

Sherilyn Sowell, a new pledge to Delta Chi, said that the chapter has helped the Family Support Center in Grand County on numerous occasions. She said that members of the sorority helped sell tickets for a quilt drive in addition to volunteering time painting faces at the Halloween carnival sponsored by Grand County Prevent Child Abuse.

“If anyone needs help with assistance in making a charity happen, Tanya [Relitz] is always eager to put forth her talents in seeing that it happens,” Sowell said. Relitz is the Delta Chi chapter president.

Last March, the group held a Love for Life fundraiser at Frankie D’s. The event, which raised money for St. Jude’s, was a success, bringing in approximately $1,700 according to Relitz.

While Delta Chi members meet once a month to focus on their fundraising activities, they have another meeting every month just to have fun.

“Having fun, forming lasting relationships and making a difference in the community one hand at a time,” Relitz said.

The chapter has had its ups and downs. In 2008, Delta Chi was given an award for recruiting the most new members among eight Epsilon Sigma Alpha chapters across the state of Utah. However, 2014 is a different story. Corn said Delta Chi is currently down to six members. The group lost one of its members, Debra Johnson Officer, suddenly in December.

But they haven’t let that stop them from trying to help out in every way they can, whether it be organizing a food drive for the Grand County Food Bank or bringing flowers to brighten someone’s day. Next month, Delta Chi will be holding a Dutch oven cook-off as a kickoff event for the upcoming Relay for Life.

“I feel like the more we can do for others, the better,” Corn said.

More information about the Delta Chi community sorority is available on the group’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/deltachiesa.moab.

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